“Nisbet Plantation will return, bigger and better.” This is according to the two parties who won enforcement of a property purchase agreement in the local courts last week.
Managing partner of Malmaison Properties LLC, Mr. Gilbert de Botton, speaking with The Observer from his Connecticut home yesterday morning said, “We are excited, we think that it is going to be a great place, great for Nevis, it will be the greatest 5-star, top-of-the-market hotel we could ever have in the Caribbean”. He promised to reveal more in the weeks ahead.
De Botton heads a conglomerate of upscale hotels in the United Kingdom ,the US and Europe.
So Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis’ second largest hotel, will be revamped to another level. Two North American firms, Malmaison Properties LLC and Castleton Holdings LLC, have assumed that responsibility. Exciting times seem to be ahead.
The Observer also spoke to Mr. Bruce Bradley, Manager of Castleton Holdings LLC , the second of the new owners of the property.
“Nevis is very special…we have fallen in love with Nevis. We are looking forward to moving ahead with the project. With the government’s support, we will do a major restoration of the property that will transform it into a world class hotel. That is our objective. We have already done preliminary designs. The government has been very cooperative; it has been supportive,” Bradley said.
“Premier (Mark) Brantley has indicated that this is a priority project for him; to get it back up and running. The process could be swift with that kind of government support.”
Castleton Holdings operates the world-renowned Capella, and has been in Washington since 1993. Bradley founded Castleton Holdings 30 years ago. The company mostly focuses on commercial office buildings in the Washington metro area. They have more than 24 properties.
For the record, the board of directors of the previous owners, Windward Properties Limited, passed a resolution in November last, winding up the company. The hotel closed its doors on April 30th 2020, in the height of Covid-19, and never reopened.
In its heyday, Nisbet employed 80 persons and was well regarded for its top-notch hospitality and delightful cuisine.
